1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a work vehicle having a ground-work unit that is mounted under a frame supported by front wheels and rear wheels and disposed forwardly of the front wheels.
2. Description of the Related Art
For instance, a front mower as a work vehicle mounting a mower unit as a ground-work unit is disclosed in US 2006/0288682 A1 (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2). In this front mower, the mower unit is mounted under a vehicle body and forwardly of the front wheels, and a steering post is disposed to extend vertically from the front end of the vehicle body. In operation, a driver seated at a driver's seat will grip a steering wheel attached to an upper portion of the steering post for maneuvering the vehicle and check the condition of ongoing grass mowing work by viewing the periphery of the mower unit.
For maneuvering a vehicle, not only an operation of the steering wheel, but also operations of an accelerator operation lever and various operation switches are required. U.S. Pat. No. D 538,302 S discloses a front mower having such operation levers and switches provided on an upper portion of the steering post.
Further, U.S. Pat. No. 6,609,357 B1 (FIG. 1), for instance, discloses a work vehicle such a lawn maintenance tractor wherein in order to inform a driver of various kinds of information relating to a work accompanied by vehicle traveling, a flat panel display such as a liquid crystal display is disposed at the center of a wide operation panel which is disposed forwardly of the steering wheel.
In case of a work vehicle having a ground-work unit such as a lawn maintenance tractor, during a work accompanied by vehicle traveling, the driver operates the steering wheel as well as an operation lever or switch, but the driver needs to occasionally view the contents shown on the flat panel display also in order to carry out the work accompanied by vehicle traveling appropriately. At the same time, the driver needs to monitor the periphery of the mower unit as well. Therefore, it is required to ensure for the driver the possibility of as much as possible both the field of vision for the steering wheel, the operation device, the flat panel display and the field of vision for the periphery of the mower unit.